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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bound · dip · race · mug · spell · fall · foot · temple

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. bound — tied together
  3. race — humankind
  4. fall — the season
  5. race — a contest
  6. spell — magic
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bound — obliged
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. race — the arms race
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. fall — to drop
  15. mug — a cup
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bound — certain
  18. spell — a short time
  19. mug — a face
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mug — to rob
  23. foot — a measure
  24. foot — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com